The Littlest Slytherin
by strawberrytear
Summary: A semiferal but highly intelligent child gets her Hogwarts letter and struggles to adapt to life with people again. She'll find friendships difficult to make and house rivalries hard to understand. Set in Harry's 3rd year.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Dawn Luzton. That's me. I live with my family. Well, sort of, I really live with four wolves and since I'm human, I guess they're not really my family.

But ever since Grandpa died I've lived with them, they are Storm, Thunder, Lightning, and Rain. We understand each other. I live in a cave with them and all the things I've kept from my days with people like books and my potion supplies and kit. My family was all wizards and witches but since I don't live with people anymore and Grandpa didn't keep up with anything, I have no idea what's going on out there.

All I know is that my parents were killed when I was really little by some evil wizard so I had to be raised by Grandpa, until I was eight and he died I moved here. I even keep an owl, Breeze, she's sweet, and a Little Owl I found here in the forest. I've been living here for about three years and so I'm out of practice in being around people. I don't even wear shoes any more, mine stopped fitting. They are the only things I've tossed since I moved here. I even kept this key that looks really old and feels important. Though I don't remember what it is for.

It's easy to get along with my animal friends, I'm a Semimagus, and I can change parts of my body from their human form into part human forms, like centaurs and merpeople. I can even sprout wings. My favorite form is a winged centaur, but I don't dare stay in that long, what if someone saw me? Also I'm an Animagus, to wolf form like my family; I'm the same cinnamon color as Thunder, but with a white underside, four white paws, and a black stripe down my spine.


	2. First Meeting

Chapter 1

A strange owl came down and dropped Dawn a letter. Not having contact with people for so long she was surprised and wondered who was sending it to her so she sent Breeze after the strange owl to find out where it was coming from. She opened it and found that it was from Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry and that it had a list of supplies she was supposed to have. But Dawn had no idea where to get those supplies, though she already had the books and knew them all very well. She decided to go to where the letter had come from and discuss her problem with this Dumbledore who was the Headmaster.

"Guess what everyone! We're going on a trip!" she called and began to pack up their den, shrinking everything and placing it in a small bag she kept on her hip. As soon as Breeze came back she asked the little owl to lead them to where the owl had come from. They crossed the British countryside carefully avoiding large concentrations of people. Finally they came upon an ancient castle on a hill. It was enormous and Dawn wondered if she would be able to avoid the many people who must live there. She was surprised that as they all approached there was no one outside who stopped her, in fact there was no apparent signs of life, finally they reached the enormous doors, which opened as she approached and she walked into the Great Hall where she stood amazed looking up at the enchanted ceiling. She proceeded up the stairs, entourage in tow, when she finally saw a person. A middle aged man dressed all in black, pale with dark hair that seemed somewhat long for a man though she thought perhaps she had not seen any men with long hair in her few years among people.

"What are you doing here?" demanded the man, noticing her and swooping down the stairs to only a few feet in front of her though he eyed the wolves cautiously.

"I'm looking for an Albus Dumbledore?" she said timidly, keeping her voice soft and low as though she was worried she would frighten him.

"I'll take you to him, but what about them?" he asked gesturing at her little family.

"Um, if it makes you more comfortable some of them can wait outside…" Rain approached the man and sniffed him, then turned back to Dawn. "That one there, Rain will stay with me the rest can wait outside; she says I can trust you but that you have a short temper and all of them might aggravate you. Is that all right?"

"I, I guess so." Said the man uncertainly as the other three turned and walked out of the building. "I'm Professor Snape by the way, who are you?"

"Dawn Luzton."

"Why are all these wolves with you?"

"They are my family. I live with them. Rain is just the calmest around people so she stayed. She will know the difference between danger and unintended joking or affection, or other strange people behaviors, like yells of surprise." Snape's eyes widened when he heard that she referred to a pack of wolves as family.

"So why are you looking for Dumbledore?" asked Snape intrigued by the strange situation.

"I got this letter today about a school…Hogwarts and it wants me to get a bunch of supplies, and go to this school, but I don't know where to get supplies or where the school is for that matter…"

"Well this is the school," laughed Snape. "So you've got that taken care of, but what do you mean you don't know where to get supplies?"

"I er, haven't lived with wizards for a very long time, I don't remember where to go shopping or how to get money, Grandpa wasn't very social, we didn't go out much…"

"Dumbledore," said Snape as they walked into his office. "We have a confused first year here to see you."

"Who are you dear?" asked Dumbledore gently.

"Dawn Luzton, sir. I received this letter today, but I'm afraid I don't know how I'm supposed to go about working with the directions. I have all the school books already, and I've used them…"

"Wait a minute, did you say your name was Luzton?" asked Dumbledore urgently.

"Yes," she said confused.

"They're all dead," he said looking at Snape. "Killed years ago, the last one died about three or four years ago."

"That was my Grandpa."

"It was reported you died with your parents," began Dumbledore.

"Well, sorry sir, but I'm quite alive…"

"Anyway, you said you've been practicing magic out of your books?"

"Yup, for about two or three years, it makes things easier when you can stupefy something instead of catching it. Just have to have good aim. And the potions are generally helpful, when there's a problem." Where's her wand? Wondered the two adults, looking at her in surprise.

"All right, well, how about if we test your skills in magic? Can you perform a few simple spells for us? Lumos perhaps?"

"Of course, Lumos." Dawn's fingers glowed and a ball of light formed in her hand which she released and it floated above her head.

"Transfigure this teapot."

"Into what?"

"Anything" Dawn touched the teapot, closed her eyes, and the teapot turned into a sparrow and flew about the room.

"Impedimenta." She said calmly and it stopped and she pulled it out of the air while transfiguring back into a teapot.

"What's the difference between aconite and wormwood?" asked Snape.

"There isn't one sir."

"Can you handle a Magical creature?"

"Probably, depends on what it is…Can't slay a dragon if that's what you're asking. Vampires are simple though. So are those obnoxious talking weasels."

"Can you brew a Pepper up Potion?"

"Of course, I do it all the time; winter can be rather cold you know."

"Snape go and get a first year end of year exam from Professor Binns," said Dumbledore. When he returned, she was asked to take it and in a few hours she had completed and handed to the ghostly Professor, who shortly announced that she had passed, though was shaky in her knowledge of goblin wars. He handed her another test. This one it turned out was for second years and she passed it as well, though she did not do as well.

"Well, this is a surprise. I think you'll be skipping the first two years of schooling seeing as how you've taught them to yourself. You'll be joining the third years in class."

"No problem." Said Dawn looking to Rain for support, who licked her hand, clearly indicating that she could handle it.

"Um… Dumbledore, does that mean I have a different list of supplies to find? I still don't know where to find the supplies on the first list."

"Professor Snape? Perhaps you could take Miss Luzton to Diagon Alley? Do you still have your vault key Miss?"

"Um… maybe I have a key. I don't remember what it is for, but it seems as though it was important…" She opened her bag and dumped the contents on his desk, rummaging through for the key. Finally she found it and with a pop it returned to its original size. "Is this it?" she asked, sweeping the rest back into the bag.

"I believe so," said Dumbledore looking at it. "Good. You'll be able to pay for your school things."

"Come along, child; let's go shopping for your things." Snape led the way out of Dumbledore's office, and out of the building where the other three wolves waited and eagerly awaited news of what had occurred.

"We're going to Diagon alley to get my school supplies, everyone." Storm growled. "Will there be a lot of people? Probably. It's a place where wizards shop, so there should be some people there…"

"There will be," said Snape shortly, wondering how on earth the girl was talking to her furry family.

"You heard him Storm," she said addressing the black wolf. "You'll just have to manage. Don't you dare attack anyone unless I order it."

"They're all coming?" squeaked Snape.

"Of course. What fun is going shopping if you don't attract attention by being well guarded?" she smirked at her Professor. "And how much better protected could I be than with my four fanged family members and one Hogwarts teacher?" He smiled back.

"It's not possible."

True to her prediction, Dawn did attract a lot of attention because of her entourage. Being measured for a uniform was stressful for all involved because her pack refused to leave her alone with a stranger and the dressmakers knew full well that the four wolves were ready to pounce should they harm her in any way. She was nervous because of all the people but the closeness of her family and someone trustworthy guiding her through the confusing ordeal of shopping relaxed her enough that she enjoyed herself. Gringotts was displeased by her entourage but let her enter her vault which was modestly filled with large golden Galleons. At the book store they had to wait for the shopkeeper to get her the Monster Book of Monsters which bit and had to be tied shut. Storm was surprising well behaved as he was the most dominating and the least friendly. Thunder and Lightning were skittish and tense but relaxed a bit when there were few people around Dawn. By the time she had purchased all of her supplies, there wasn't a soul who had been in Diagon Alley who didn't know there was a new Hogwarts student purchasing supplies for her third year even though she was clearly a first year and was accompanied by four wolves and Professor Snape.

Once back at the school she set about taming the vicious book and discovered that if she talked softly and stroked it gently it opened without any injuries inflicted. Fortunately the wolves did not take it to be a threat even when it bit her so it did not get ripped to shreds.

Dumbledore allowed her to stay at the school until it was the start of term; sleeping arrangements were not a problem as she refused to be inside at night, for any reason. She would come in at the crack of dawn and leave at twilight, but that was as long as she could be forced to stay. Attempts to force her to stay longer resulted in injury and the one who had tried earning the distrust of her wolves.


	3. The Sorting

Chapter 2

Dumbledore insisted that she go to platform nine and three-quarters and come on the Hogwarts express so that it appeared that she was a more normal first year student. She complied but had no idea what he thought was normal about an eleven year old girl alone on a wizard train with four multicolored wolves with her. Sitting on the train in a compartment to themselves, the five relaxed and slept determined to get a good rest out of the ride. They were disturbed by a blond Slytherin partway in, but he backed out when he saw her friends.

Without warning the train came to a stop. The lights went out. Dawn sat up and looked out the window. A bunch of dark cloaked shapes were boarding the train. Lightning growled at the sight of them.

"All right. Take it easy. I won't trust any of those people, though you make it sound like they're not people. If you can tell they're bad this far way than I'll even watch my step. Not that I need to with you all around me." The door opened and dawn muttered "lumos" A dark cloaked figure came into the room, even in the light given by her spell it was hard to see. A rattling breath came from it and suddenly the happy excitement of being headed for school vanished. The wolves began to whimper. Dawn shook and a strange feeling of dread and panic spread over her. She began to lose focus and the spell disintegrated. When the world came back into focus the cloaked figure was gone. The train shortly arrived at Hogwarts and she got out and quickly sat in one of the many boats on the lake. She was joined by a young girl who claimed her name was Radella, and stayed as far away from the wolves as she could. She was remotely friendly and talked about her parents who were wizards for the duration of the ride. As they passed through the gates to Hogwarts the same frightening feeling passed over them. Two dementors guarded the entrance. As they got out of the boats, they were handed chocolate by a teacher and herded into the Great Hall where they waited to be sorted by an old black wizard's hat. After several other first years were sorted, it was Dawn's turn. She hesitantly sat down on the stool and put the hat on.

"Hmm, where to put you? Brave yes, smart too, very sly though. You'd do well in Gryffindor, but it'd better be SLYTHERIN!"

Dawn walked to the table of green and silver that was full of clapping students. She sat next to Radella from the boat she had been on, and sent off the four wolves to the Forest where they were usually. The strange stares stopped shortly after she did so, and once the Sorting was finished, there were excited nervous first years at all the tables. A few students came into the Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table, but before she could wonder what they were doing being late, Headmaster Dumbledore asked for their attention and began to speak to them.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware of after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry on Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave the school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises – or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he paused. No one clapped. "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." There was some scattered applause as the pale haired man she didn't recognize stood up, his hair appeared to be graying but he was much younger than the typical graying person. Professor Snape stared at the man with outright loathing. "As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties." The giant man that Dawn was glad to realize she had seen several times over the summer stood up blushing and was greeted by a round of applause. "Well, I think that's everything of importance, let the feast begin!"

The plates before them filled with all sorts of delectable foods that Dawn was not familiar with after her years in a forest away from people and stoves, flour and other niceties of civilization. The feast went on far too long for her comfort. She glanced up at the ceiling periodically becoming stressed as it neared darkness. Dumbledore watched her carefully and finally when it seemed she might run out of the hall announced that it was time for them to head to bed. She hurriedly stood up and followed the prefect, a huge sixth year, who led them all down into the dungeons and to portrait of an old man.

"The password is 'Parseltongue.'" The portrait swung forward revealing a room filled with silver and green furniture, but Dawn paid little attention to her surroundings, as soon as she had been told which room was the room for the first year girls she ran to it and closed the curtains to her bed, slipped out the window onto the ground. She left the window open a crack and transformed to wolf form and ran off towards the forest, careful to avoid the dementors that guarded the entrances and exits to the building, but did not expect anyone to use the windows. She relaxed as soon as she reached the forest and curled up next to the already sleeping wolves in the den they had dug during the last weeks of the summer, near a small clearing. There were few scents of anything dangerous; nothing of great importance had been in the area for at least a few months.


	4. Of Boggarts and Hippogriffs

Thank you for reading! This chapter is a little rough but if anyone would like to edit it or make suggestions they are more than welcome to! Reviews are welcome!

Chapter 3

The next morning Dawn slipped into the dormitory at dawn and lay in the bed, opening the curtains. After a few of the other girls woke up she headed down to breakfast and sat at the Slytherin table, where a third year named Draco Malfoy entertained them with the story of a boy named Harry Potter from Gryffindor who had fainted on the train because of the dementors. She didn't find it as funny as everyone else because she had nearly fainted herself. She was handed a first year schedule but Snape appeared a moment later and gave her a third year one and instructed her to follow it on Dumbledore's orders. Her first class was Muggle Studies. She walked up to the fourth floor and opened a door. There sat a group of third years and a teacher.

"Excuse me sir, but is this Muggle Studies?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"Dawn Luzton sir."

"I'm Professor London, take a seat." Dawn sat down next to a Gryffindor girl with bushy brown hair.

"I'm Hermione Granger," said the girl. "Aren't you a little small for a third year?"

"I am, I'm also not a third year, I'm a first year but don't spread it around too much, don't want to get into very much trouble with the older students."

"I won't tell anyone who'll bite." She chuckled but looked impressed by the little witch, who ignored her curious glances and put all her attention to taking notes on the peculiar behaviors of Muggles. The Granger girl answered every question without hesitation; Dawn assumed she must have lived with Muggles for a long time and decided to ask her about it sometime.

Her second class was with Professor Lupin who showed them a boggart. She was more timid in that class, it was only the Slytherin third years and they recognized her as a first year. When it was her turn to face the creature that was supposed to turn into her worst fear she was still uncertain what it would turn into.

Finally it approached and turned into a middle aged man with blond hair and a superior yet cruel expression on his face.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Dawn asked the boggart. "Ridikulus." Whoever it was appeared in a frilly dress and she broke out giggling and his discomfiture at finding himself in such a thing and turned to the next student. Professor Lupin looked at her strangely. He recognized the blond man and wondered how a person could be the girl's worst fear when she clearly didn't recognize him.

Her third class was Care of Magical Creatures after lunch. It was the easiest to find, she just followed the third years from her last class. They had this class with the Gryffindors and Dawn saw the Granger girl from her Muggle Studies class. They were led to a paddock near the forest.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here! That's it – make sure yeh can see – now, firs' thing you'll want to ter do is open yer books"

"How?" said Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" said Malfoy again, taking out his book bound in rope. The others began to take them out too; they were bound in a variety of ways.

"Hasn' – hasn' anyone bin able to open their books?" said Hagrid looking crestfallen. The class shook their heads but tentatively Dawn spoke up.

"I have." The class turned to the tiny first year. She held up her book and stroked it and it promptly opened. "You just have to pet it…" she said in a small voice alarmed by the intense stares she was receiving, many of which were not friendly.

"Exactly!" said Hagrid, beaming. "Ten points to Slytherin for figurin' that out."

"Oh how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess?"

"I – I thought they were funny…" said Hagrid.

"Oh, tremendously funny! Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up Malfoy," said the boy they had been harassing that morning, Harry Potter.

"Right then, so – so yeh've got yer books an' – an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..." said Hagrid looking rather lost. He walked into the forest.

"God, this place is going to the dogs, that oaf teaching classes, my father will have a fit when I tell him," said Malfoy loudly.

"Shut up Malfoy," said Potter once more.

"Careful Potter, there's a dementor behind you…"

"Ooooh!" squealed a Gryffindor girl named lavender Brown, pointing across the paddock.

Trotting towards them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Dawn had seen. They were hippogriffs; she recognized them from her book, being the only one who had been able to read it. She smiled. This class was going to be fun. Hagrid urged the creatures closer to the fence. Dawn pushed against the fence eagerly.

"Hippogriffs! Beau'iful aren' they?" roared Hagrid happily. "So, if yeh want ter come a bit nearer…" Dawn was the only one who seemed to want to be near; she was pressed against the fence on the side of the class so Hagrid didn't notice her at first. Three Gryffindors came a bit closer, including Granger and Potter. "Now firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud, easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't ever insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing you do. Yeh always wait for the hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, an' yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed to touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right – who wants ter go first?" Most of the class backed away in response, Dawn decided not to say anything, and she'd already showed off enough for that class by knowing about the book right? "No one?" pleaded Hagrid.

"I'll do it," said the Potter boy before she could volunteer. There were whispers from his classmates, but Potter climbed over the fence and was introduced to Buckbeak who was released and Harry bowed. Hagrid was muttering to him.

"Easy now, Harry, yeh've got eye contact, now try not to blink…Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink to much…" The hippogriff glared at Potter and initially didn't move but as Potter was warned away the creature bowed and Hagrid urged the boy to go and pat it. When Hagrid suggested that the boy ride Buckbeak the boy was obviously alarmed. Dawn wished she had volunteered there were few things she would have rather done at the moment. He hesitantly climbed on and Hagrid set off the hippogriff. When they came back, the class cheered. Everyone climbed onto the paddock at Hagrid's invitation. Three boys from Slytherin, including Malfoy stood around Buckbeak who had bowed to the blond boy. Dawn overheard them.

"This is very easy; I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it…I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? Are you, you great ugly brute?" In a flash the blond boy was on the ground screaming, Hagrid was wrestling the hippogriff back into his collar, blood was all over Malfoy's robes. "I'm dying!" screamed Malfoy to the panicked class. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!" Hagrid had gone very white.

"Yer not dyin'! Someone help me… gotta get him outta here…" Granger held open the gate and Hagrid carried Malfoy up to the Hospital Wing, blood spattering as he ran. The class was shaken and followed up to the castle most of them yelling about how Hagrid should be fired. Dawn stayed behind and hopped the fence and went to comfort the angry hippogriff. Not bothering to bow she walked up to the great beast.

"You know, you really ought to have ignored him. Wounded pride is one thing, but you're likely to get more for a stunt like that. Calm down. Can't you recognize me for what I am? Relax, everything is going to be all right for a little while at least." The great beast relaxed under her touch and nuzzled her back. She giggled. "Careful! You're bigger than me!" After a moment, she patted the creature and headed back up to the castle. At dinner that evening the only conversation was regarding the occurrence at the Magical Creatures class and exaggerating it in the retelling. Dawn disdainfully refused to take part in the ridiculous conversation.

That night she noted that Hagrid's lights were on as she slipped out of the castle. As she approached the forest she heard him shouting at what sounded like a few students about being out after dark and chuckled to herself, happy she was not the one caught.


	5. Potions and Intrigue

Chapter 4

When Malfoy came out of the Hospital Wing it was Thursday morning and the third year Slytherins were halfway through double Potions with the Gryffindors. His swaggering, brave act got him attention from Pansy Parkinson. Snape allowed this and made Potter and Weasley prepare his potion ingredients for him, his arm was in a sling though he obviously didn't need it, Dawn could smell a creature in pain and Malfoy was anything but in pain. Malfoy harassed the boys about the status of Hagrid's job. They were apparently good friends with the Professor and were worried. A Gryffindor named Neville Longbottom was having difficulty with his potion, but Dawn made hers with ease and little noise. A Shrinking Solution was something she had used before, though not very often. At the end of class, Longbottom's frog was victim to the potion brewed by his owner. Dawn felt sorry for the poor thing, she did not trust Nelville's potion making abilities anymore than anyone else, but Shrinking was not always a pleasant experiemce in itself. The potion worked all right but Snape subtracted points from Gryffindor because he was firmly convinced that Granger had helped the boy and had been told not to though she denied it.

Once Malfoy stopped pretending to be injured, Dawn was assigned to him as a partner in Potions class, they were to make a Dreamless Sleep Potion, something Dawn had made many times. Malfoy resented being paired with a first year, even if she was of his own house.

"I'll bet you're really a Mudblood. Can't imagine how you got into my house," sneered Malfoy.

"Entirely possible," she shrugged the class was relatively quiet, many of them watched her out of the corner of their eyes wondering where she was going with this. "I have no idea what a Mudblood is, been out of the loop for a while you might say…"

"A wizard or witch born to Muggles," he hissed.

"Oh! Well then, in that case no I'm not sorry to disappoint you, my parents were magic folk. Didn't know there were any from nonmagic blood. Fascinating." There was shock in the stares their group received from the class.

"Can't imagine what you did to get into our year when you're really a first year," said Malfoy disdainfully and clearly. "What did you do? Sleep with Dumbledore? Probably did when he asked you to since you didn't know what it meant."

"That's enough Malfoy, leave her alone," said the Potter boy, surprising the pair as they traded insults.

"Stay out of it Potter." They both snapped.

"I thought teasing was intended to rile the one being teased not some boy on the other side of the room with a hero complex," continued Dawn coldly.

"I thought that you could use some help..." responded Potter shocked.

"I don't need rescuing. I can defend myself just fine thank you very much, exercise your overactive desire to defend on someone else."

"Clearly you don't realize what a git Malfoy is," began Potter in his defense.

"Are you suggesting that it is dangerous for me to be sitting next to him?" she said incredulously.

"Well…"

"Potter, Malfoy is no more dangerous than I am and I am perfectly capable of defending myself, unless you are suggesting that Professor Snape would put me in a situation that was unsafe?" she grinned maliciously. Snape pounced on the opportunity to intervene in the situation.

"That will be ten points from Gryffindor Potter for disrupting class," Malfoy, Snape and Dawn all gave Potter a satisfied smirk.

"Anyway," said Dawn mildly returning to her former conversation. "I tried to but he said there really couldn't be a monster under my bed, as your socks had already been taken out from underneath of it." Malfoy glared at her.

"Insolent first year," he growled. "If you knew who my father was…"

"I don't care who your father is Malfoy, it doesn't matter, because unless he's in the room he's no threat to me, and if he's the sort who would be a threat to me just because I insulted his son, than you really need to stop hiding behind him, you won't always have your father to protect you from insults you know."

"My father," he hissed. "Is your greatest fear. He's the man the boggart turned into when it was in front of you."

"Must be your greatest fear then, and the boggart was actually a little closer to you, because I don't remember ever seeing him before in my life." She said unconcernedly.

"Can't see why you would be frightened of him, unlike Granger, you're not a M…"

"Quit talking and add those roots now, honestly, you're clearly not smart enough to think up clever insults and brew a potion at the same time so just do one of them. Brew the potion." She ordered Malfoy making him blush at the insult on his abilities in a class she shouldn't even be in, but he did what he was told and shut up for the rest of the period.

Once class was dismissed Granger walked up to Dawn.

"Um, can I talk to you sometime?"

"Of course, you can talk to me anytime the question is will I talk to you?" Granger looked insulted and hurt.

"I'm joking. Of course I'll talk to you too. I'm not that bad. At lunch today then. Name's Hermione right?"

"Yes."

"See you around then Hermione."

Later after eating her lunch Dawn walked out of the Great Hall making sure Hermione noticed she was leaving. Moments later she sat in an abandoned classroom and Hermione walked in, followed by her friends Potter and Weasley.

"Brought reinforcements hmm?" Dawn asked rather nervously.

"Why, think you might need someone to defend you?" snapped Potter.

"No. I could handle it but I'd rather not get expelled the first weeks of school…"

"Really?" said Potter disdainfully.

"That's enough Harry!" said Hermione angrily. "I didn't ask you to come here to threaten her!"

"Why did you bring them?"

"So they wouldn't attack you, they are kind of protective."

"I gathered that out of Potter's behavior in Potions today. If he's going to try and protect someone he doesn't know, he must be incredibly protective of his friends."

"Anyway," said Hermione. "I wanted to ask you something. Why did you keep Malfoy from insulting me during Potions?"

"I didn't want him to get away with that kind of thing, he's a jerk you know, and besides I like you, stepping on his ego to help yours wasn't a problem for me, and it was fun. Sorry, Potter, but it looks like your defense of her wasn't getting anywhere, thought I'd help."

"And why didn't you accept mine?" said Potter coldly.

"I'm a first year, a girl, and a small one for all that. I can't afford to even try to hide behind anyone. If I let try to protect me I'd have to stick to you constantly and you're not even in my house. It wouldn't work. Someone would catch me alone and attack me, while I could easily defend myself but I don't want to get into a dangerous fight like that. Sorry I blew you off but you understand don't you?"

"Yeah, you've got good reasons." He smiled at her. "You can call me Harry."

"I'm Ron, what makes you think you could handle us anyway?"

"I'm in third year as a first year and I know more about Potions than most third years do, and I've lived alone taking care of myself for ages."

"Why?" asked Ron curiously, no longer interested in threatening her.

"I'm an orphan, been living on my own for a while since Grandpa died, you learn to defend yourself." She said wryly grinning at them. "Anyway I'll be going now, unless you wanted to talk about anything else?"

"Not right now," said Hermione. Dawn left the room and went back to the Potions classroom. She found Professor Snape just finishing up grading the potions.

"How was my potion?"

"Absolutely perfect, you really have made it before haven't you?"

"Yes." She began to pour her potion into vials, stopper them and put them into her pocket.

"What are you doing?" demanded Snape.

"Saving the potion for later. Why make it if it's not going to be used?"

"That's a powerful potion. We don't allow students to keep that sort of thing."

"Don't worry. I'm not addicted to it, I only use it when I can't get to sleep."

"All right," said Snape reluctantly. "But don't expect this to happen every time."

"Well then, can I get the ingredients out of the student cupboard?"

"Absolutely not! If you want the potion you ask Madam Pomfrey." Dawn shrugged and decided that she needed to transport her garden from her old home to the Hogwarts grounds so that she could tend it and access it more often and with more ease. She decided to do so that very weekend.


	6. A New Friend

That Saturday she got up very early, ate breakfast, and set off to the Forbidden Forest. She stopped at the den and visited with the wolves before transforming into a winged centaur, rust colored with white tipped wings. She placed a set of leather saddlebags on her back and took off for home. She proceeded to dig and place the plants in the bags for hours. Once she had displaced all of her plants she took off again and back at the Forest she unloaded and began to replace them in the clearing before the den. With the wolves doing most of the digging she finished rather quickly. Just as she finished tucking in the last plant and stood up doing a cleaning spell to return her to a decent state in case she saw anyone on the way back to the castle for dinner, she heard a twig snap behind her. Whirling around she found herself face to face with a dark colored centaur that had a crossbow loaded and pointed straight at her.

"What are you doing here?" demanded the centaur.

"Um…gardening?" she said uncertainly.

"We do not welcome humans here."

"Oh. Is this better than?" she smiled confidently and turned into a centaur, black with white splotches on her left shoulder and right flank.

"What the…? Come with me." ordered the bewildered centaur. He made her walk in front of him while he followed keeping the crossbow trained on her. He took her deep into the dark forest and suddenly they were joined by several more centaurs.

"What's this?" asked one of them.

"A Hogwarts student. I found her on the edge of the forest gardening."

"She doesn't look like a Hogwarts student. I've never seen one with four legs," said another.

"Turn back into human." Her captor poked her rump with the bow. She winced but complied.

"We'll have to hold a council on what to do with her." said one of the new centaurs.

"She was led into a clearing in the center of the forest and tied up firmly. Several crossbows were aimed at her and an ancient centaur stood before her.

"Explain yourself human."

"I am a Hogwarts student sir. I cannot sleep indoors so I've been living on the edge of the forest. There were no signs of centaurs when I set up there…I didn't think you would be bothered if I stayed out of your way. I was planting a garden of valuable magical plants, and some not completely magic ones, when the other centaur came up behind me with a crossbow…"

"She should be killed," said the dark colored centaur angrily. "Humans cannot be allowed to impose on our territory, no matter their excuses." Abruptly a white streak dashed into the clearing. Lightning had brought another student to help her. It was unfortunately Malfoy.

"Lightning, what are you doing here?"

"She seems to think you could use my help," drawled Malfoy eying the situation with interest.

"Why did you bring a student? Did it have to be him? He'll probably do more hurt than help." Dawn groaned.

"Really now Luzton, do you really think that poorly of me?"

"Yes, now why don't you stay quiet so we don't get in any more trouble."

"They wouldn't mess with me Luzton, my father has lots of influence with the Ministry." Malfoy arrogantly glared at the centaurs, who glared back at them. The dark centaur was prepared to convince the herd to have them both killed for the arrogance of the boy.

"Please he didn't mean that the way you think," declared Dawn taking her attention off of Malfoy. "He meant that if you kill us it won't help your inter-human relations, they might even try to exterminate your herd from this forest. Now, I am more than willing to compromise with you sir," Dawn curtsied, quite the feat in the centaur form she had returned to calm them. "If you like I will give you permission to use any of my plants that you may find use for, I promise not to stray out of my little area…"

"Just kill her and get it over with," snarled the dark centaur.

"They are right, Bane, that would do us no good." Said the ancient centaur. "We will accept your offer Miss see that you fulfill your promises." The crossbows pointed at the two students dropped. "You may go." Dawn heaved a sigh of relief. Lightning led the way back towards the school.

"I didn't know centaurs could curtsy," said Malfoy conversationally.

"I imagine you didn't know a thing about centaurs except what they look like with the way you came charging in there like you owned the place. Everyone knows that centaurs are of superior intelligence and don't take kindly to humans who think they are better than them." A light chuckle came from the side of the path they were on. Startled Dawn jumped and looked carefully into the sides of the path looking for the source of the sound.

"Relax. I won't hurt you," said a young male centaur stepping out onto the path. "I just thought it was funny how very right you are."

"Are you following us?" asked Dawn confused.

"Yes. I've always wondered about humans but there aren't very many of them that come into the forest that are safe to approach. I'm Zahur by the way. Son of Firenze. He also doesn't have the assumption that all people are bad and should be left to fend for themselves." Dawn smiled at him.

"Well you're right, I suppose I'm not a threat to you or any of your herd. Neither are the wolves by the way, not many creatures are dumb enough to but you might as well know these ones aren't."

"Wolves! There are more than one!" squeaked Malfoy.

"Uh-huh. They're my little family. Aren't they precious?"

"Of course. Can I pet them?" asked Zahur while Malfoy stared at her in disbelief.

"She'll let you. They're fairly comfortable around your kind. I use that form a lot, its more stable than a mere two legs."

"I can't imagine how humans keep from falling over constantly with so few legs." Said Zahur.

"How come you can turn into a centaur?" asked Malfoy.

"I don't know. I'm a Semimagus, but I don't know why I am one. Maybe it was planned by the stars?" Dawn smiled at the young centaur.

"Might be. I'm not so good at reading them yet, I'm only a colt yet."

"So am I and I don't have a herd to teach me to read them, but I'll leave such things to minds that can better comprehend the significance of what they read."

"Most humans don't have such a favorable opinion of our kind," said Zahur.

"I read a good book on centaurs, but then again, maybe I'm just not stupid enough to insult them when they threaten my life." She laughed. They reached the border and Malfoy left the two to go back to the castle and Zahur and Dawn went towards her den.

"Wow! You've quite the collection here. These will be useful to the herd."

"Good. I did have something to bargain with." The two chatted until the prospect of being interrupted by adults and gotten into trouble became a problem and they returned to their respective proper places.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 5

The following weeks were uneventful and boring in classes that presented Dawn with little challenging material outside of DADA and evading being caught by dementors slipping out every night. Care of Magical Creatures had turned into a wretched class because Hagrid was nervous for losing his job after the hippogriff incident. Quidditch had started and though she was technically in third year Dumbledore said she was too young to try out, being a first year. She didn't know how to play in the first place, so it didn't bother her that much. Instead when the games started she took the opportunity to spend more time with her family and chances to meet her new friend Zahur. One Saturday morning, the match versus Ravenclaw, gave her another chance to slip off.

"Good morning! What have we all been up to?" she greeted the lounging wolves sleeping before the den.

"Weeding the garden of course!" said Zahur from behind her, she jumped and then laughed. "Well, I figured from all the yells coming from the school, you'd be by sooner or later."

"You clearly know me too well," she said joining him in weeding her now expansive garden, with many contributions from the centaurs, who didn't really want to garden very much as a whole. That night, as she slipped out of the building she ran across a strange scent. A strange dog in her territory? What was it doing here? There were no dogs allowed in Hogwarts, so it couldn't be a pet…Following the scent she spotted the culprit. A large, skinny, shaggy black dog sniffed about the school. She growled and snuck up on it pouncing to start a fight. It was weak from hunger it seemed and lost the fight rather quickly though it clearly knew how to fight, couldn't be a pet at all. Just as she had it pinned on its back with a whimper it turned into…a man? Startled, Dawn stopped growling immediately and let him up turning to her own human form.

"Who are you?"

"Uh, Sirius…"

Apologizing, she rapidly retreated. The bewildered man soon returned to the dog form and continued on his way. Embarrassed, Dawn did the same, and snuck off to the forest, hoping he wasn't a teacher. She figured he was one of the Azkaban guards here with the dementors.

That morning when she returned she found the school in an uproar. The Gryffindor Common Room had been broken into the portrait that guarded it had been slashed and had gone missing hiding in other pictures. Dawn was relieved it hadn't been her house and no students had been harmed. She was surprised no one had noticed she wasn't there in all the ruckus but relieved they hadn't. The frightened and hysterical Gryffindors made classes challenging the whole day, the teachers and other students, well most of them anyway, concentrated on calming them. Malfoy and several of the other Slytherins greatly enjoyed their fright.

"Black! Aaah!" they would yell periodically to watch the others jump and look around while they laughed. The funny thing was, as mean as they were being they were actually helping. They took everyone's mind off of Black the vicious murderer and put them onto the subject of what gits the whole group was.

"Don't you have anything better to do than harass others?" Dawn finally exclaimed frustrated.

"Not really. Are you sure you're a Slytherin? Aren't you supposed to support your house and the people in it?" sneered Malfoy.

"Yeah, but they make exceptions for bullies and bastards, and since you're both…" Laughter broke out from all houses, and Malfoy reddened.

"You'll pay for that Luzton." He said softly.

"Oh, poor baby, are you too poor to manage insults? Want me to pay you a Knut for every time I insult you? Sorry, but I'd be poor within a week, you're such an easy target."

"Easy target am I? What does that make you?"

"What does that make me?... Oh crap! I'm turning into a Slytherin bastard like you! Yuck!" More laughter, mainly from other houses as the Slytherins glared at her, bubbled up around them.

"I'm going to kill you one of these days Luzton."

"Let me know when I'm dead," she said sarcastically moving off. Back in the Slytherin Common Room, Malfoy pulled her aside.

"You know I didn't really mean anything I said don't you?" he said concerned.

"You couldn't have meant it. Your comebacks were terrible. But thanks it helps me keep up appearances without getting into trouble."

"Yeah, same here. You're really not so bad."

"Neither are you, but being enemies is so much more fun," she grinned playfully. "And you really are an easy target you know. It's so much fun to watch you get all insulted."

The weather turned, making it much more difficult for Dawn to hide the fact she was slipping off since she kept coming in every morning soaked and most people weren't going to fall for her having taken a walk. Fortunately, Hermione noticed her coming to breakfast wet and taught her a drying charm. She wondered why she hadn't learned that before since she'd lived outside for such a long time.

Professor Lupin unfortunately fell ill and Snape took over for him. He pushed them ahead to studying werewolves to her confusion, and the rest of the third years'.

The one match she finally went to because of the rain, was attacked by dementors, the Gryffindor Seeker, Potter, fell off of his broom, and had to be taken to the Hospital Wing, and his broom floated off and was attacked by the Whomping Willow. The dementors sent her into a nameless shock. She shook violently and was forced to the memory of a dark room that was somehow more terrible than anything she could recall, but the memory was so fuzzy she didn't know why it was scary…


	8. Delusional Malfoys

Christmas vacations came, and much to Dawn's delight she was among the only ones left in the castle bounding about in the snow with her family over the vacation was what she considered a blast. And all of the girls in her dorm had gone home so she could bring them inside. Each morning they came in soaked and sodden, and with every Slytherin gone they would dry off before the roaring fire in the Common Room. Unlike the few left behind who were moping, Dawn's beaming smile of joy could be seen on her at all times over Christmas.

To her surprise she received gifts for Christmas, something that hadn't happened in a long time. She woke up on Christmas morning to find her wolves sniffing excitedly around a few packages at the foot of her bed. There was a package from Professor Snape on some of the more complex healing potions. And a book from Hermione on Muggle artifacts. There was also a package from Malfoy that the wolves were most excited about, several pounds of gourmet dog treats. And there was an anonymous package that contained a magical plant, one that made a very powerful calming potion and that she had not yet been able to find.

And then everything returned to normal. The students came back and she couldn't bring the wolves inside. She went back to being publicly disagreeable though she thanked her friends for her gifts. Then much to her surprise as she went to the Great Hall one morning, she found Malfoy and Dumbledore in deep discussion with a pale blond man.

"What's going on?" she asked Draco in a whisper.

"Uh…"

"Who is that?" demanded the blond man.

"I'm Dawn Luzton," began Dawn only to be interrupted by Malfoy.

"She's the first year I told you about who's in third year classes."

"Luzton did you say?" asked the man sharply.

"Uh-huh. Who are you?"

"He's your greatest fear. He's my father. The man the boggart turned into for you."

"I told you then, Malfoy, and I'll tell you again. I don't remember ever seeing the person, so how could I possibly be frightened of him, it's ridiculous."

"Impossible," said Mr. Malfoy.

"See, he agrees with me,"

"I killed you almost eleven years ago."

"Or maybe he's lost his marbles," she muttered. "Well, I've always wondered what it was like to be dead, pity to find out I already was. Someone really should have told me."

"You're not dead Miss Luzton," said Dumbledore exasperatedly.

"Oh, then he didn't do a very good job then did he?" Mr. Malfoy spluttered. "Poor fellow, he's delusional."

"Malfoys are not delusional." Mr. Malfoy stated.

"If you say so…" Dawn said mildly, walking into the Great Hall to get out of the ridiculous conversation.

The next Hogmeade weekend Dawn found herself aimlessly wandering the halls. She was found by Professor Snape who noted her lost and mindless attitude and put her to work in the dungeons working with him on potions for Madam Pomfrey. Despite his viciousness to students during class, Dawn found him to be very kind and supportive of her while working with him. He treated her with a gentle fatherly attitude that she did not see, not having been parented in years.

That evening she was called to Dumbledore's office.

"Lemon drop, Miss Luzton?"

"No thank you."

"Well then, I suppose we should get to the point. Mr. Malfoy claimed to have killed you in front of me and his son. This is no laughing matter. Lucius is not as a rule delusional, at least not publicly. That leads me to believe that something did happen that long ago to make him believe that he had killed you. We must find out what that is. You were reported to be dead, and it is entirely possible that he is the one who caused that."

"I was telling the truth Dumbledore, I don't recognize the man at all. It is true as Draco said that the boggart turned into him in front of me, but I can't explain that. And I don't feel frightened of him at all."

"That is strange and Professor Lupin reported this to me earlier in the year. So I think that you just won't let yourself remember whatever happened." Dawn rolled her eyes.

"How is that even possible? Wouldn't I at least feel frightened of him then?"

"I can't explain it yet either, so I've asked Professor Snape to help me."

"If I don't know and you don't know how is he going to know?"

"Legilmency, Luzton. I'll explore your mind and see if I can find anything relating to the event at all." Said Snape striding into the room calmly. She frowned.

"Now why would I want you to do that? It doesn't bother me to not remember being nearly killed or whatever it is Mr. Malfoy remembers that I don't. And I would have been a baby at the time anyway. What's to say I would remember something like that?"

"Lucius Malfoy does not take kindly to having his abilities questioned."

"So we get him arrested when he tries to kill me again. And besides if he couldn't kill me the first time when I was a baby he won't be able to kill me now that I can defend myself."

"Uh-huh." Snape muttered, sounding as though he hadn't listened to her at all. He took her face in his hand and turned it towards himself. Abrubtly, a strange feeling came over her as their eyes locked. She was dragged back through memories rapidly few being given more than a split second until he found anything that frightened her. He finally encountered a memory of the dementors and the strange memory that they produced. The strange panic came over her and she tried to break eye contact but found that she was trapped. Suddenly he released her, she was hyperventilating and her heart rate had increased tenfold. "I found it, Dumbledore. It looks almost as though she has had a poor memory charm put on that particular one though."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a vague image but no faces and the pain that would be expected is gone but there's a feeling of undefined fear and the darkness and feeling of being in a house are there. Which is probably why she won't sleep in the building," Snape sounded particularly bitter.

"Why are you all so bothered? It was my life. Relax the past is the past."

"There's something you should probably know about Professor Snape."

"What's that?"

"He's your godfather."

"Really? Awesome! So that's why he's been so nice to me," said the delighted young girl. "I thought it was kind of weird to have a teacher send me a Christmas gift."

"I am legally your guardian until you are of age. At least I would have been if you were legally alive that is."

"Legally alive, I am breaking the law by being alive. I can't wait 'til Fudge finds out!"


End file.
